Senator Al Franken pictured as Stuart Smalley inspirational speaker from Saturday Night Live. He'd be proud of this blog.
I had this colleague in ministry who told me about something really cool. I pass it along to you for your own use or disuse.
He is a pastoral counselor and served as a parish minister for 15 years in the United Methodist Tradition. Because ministry requires a certain amount of vulnerability and we pastors are often on the receiving end of criticism-some of it warranted-but much of it related to the person's worldview, unrealistic expectations, and their own ideal image of what a pastor "SHOULD" be. He offered this practice as a way of counter balancing the little slings and arrows we have directed at us-but it works for everyone.
He said that he has a notebook (I use a composition one and use the computer too)where he writes down all the positive statements people make to him during the day. Whether it is specific compliment or just a general positive statement, he writes it down. He writes the date and the person saying it and maybe a context statement. He also tries to write down a statement per day about himself that's positive. He calls it the compliment log, as in log book.
I can hear my comic friends snickering as they read this, and perhaps some are rolling their eyes both comic and non-comics alike. Maybe some cynical pastors too. Bear with me.
What he does is when he's feeling really horrible-he goes to the compliment log and reads it. Sometimes a page brings up his mood-sometimes it takes several pages.
I've been practicing this-and it's a challenge. In part it's because I listen mainly for the negative things people say. I don't think I'm alone in that practice. There are many reasons to be negative in life and many of us ready to share our negative thoughts about everything that's wrong with the world which is a LOT. That's "stinkin' thinkin'" as Stuart Smalley would put it.
So I invite you to train your ears to listen for the things people say that are genuine and kind about you, and then write them down. It may take some time. It takes two weeks of doing something every day to start a habit they say. But try it. You'll like it.
Ok here's the point in the blog where I make a couple of serious statements, then add in some humor and close with a moderately amusing finish. But seriously try this practice-it's helpful.
I'll get your started. God loves and cherishes you always. That's a nice shirt you have on today. Nobody plays croquet or lawn darts better than you. Your skill at leaf raking is unparalleled in the Western world. And lastly these wise words from Stuart Smalley: You're smart enough, your good enough, and doggone it people like you!
Grace,
Dwight
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Heart of the Matter
I love Don Henley's solo album from 1989 called End of the Innocence. For those of you who weren't any more than a fetus in 1989 Don Henley is the lead singer of the band The Eagles who had a number of hits in the 70's.
One of the songs on it that was really good aside from the title track is called "Heart of the Matter". The song itself is about a breakup-but the refrain is:
The more I know the less I understand, all the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again. I've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter but my will gets weak and my thoughts seem to scatter but I think its about...Forgiveness, forgiveness even if, even if you don't love me anymore.
Forgiveness isn't particularly funny. In fact its really serious-because its so difficult. People wonder why we need God-or what purpose God serves in our lives. For me and I believe for all of humanity it's because without the Divine we have no capability for forgiveness. We'd rather have vengeance as I've said in previous blogs-vengeance is easier-it requires less effort to strike someone down verbally, physically, or emotionally than it does to try to work through difficult times.
In a book I'm reading called The Art of Forgiveness the author speaks about how much energy is freed up in our entire person when we decide to quit carrying around old grudges, or when we decide to release not only the person who we perceive wronged us, but we release OURSELVES from the weight of it as well. Perhaps in letting go of the wrong we will have the energy to accomplish the difficult work of making relationships right. That is my prayer for you and for me.
Besides I've grown tired of smiting people with a turkey roll.
Grace,
Dwight
One of the songs on it that was really good aside from the title track is called "Heart of the Matter". The song itself is about a breakup-but the refrain is:
The more I know the less I understand, all the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again. I've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter but my will gets weak and my thoughts seem to scatter but I think its about...Forgiveness, forgiveness even if, even if you don't love me anymore.
Forgiveness isn't particularly funny. In fact its really serious-because its so difficult. People wonder why we need God-or what purpose God serves in our lives. For me and I believe for all of humanity it's because without the Divine we have no capability for forgiveness. We'd rather have vengeance as I've said in previous blogs-vengeance is easier-it requires less effort to strike someone down verbally, physically, or emotionally than it does to try to work through difficult times.
In a book I'm reading called The Art of Forgiveness the author speaks about how much energy is freed up in our entire person when we decide to quit carrying around old grudges, or when we decide to release not only the person who we perceive wronged us, but we release OURSELVES from the weight of it as well. Perhaps in letting go of the wrong we will have the energy to accomplish the difficult work of making relationships right. That is my prayer for you and for me.
Besides I've grown tired of smiting people with a turkey roll.
Grace,
Dwight
Saturday, October 24, 2009
School's in session
I learned a great deal last night at a bar in a small Ohio town. I learned that regardless of how charming and talented I seem to my friends, or even a comedy club crowd I don't get laughs in a bar unless I EARN them.
The room was cold to start out with and I never was able to get the crowd fully into it. Some of the other comics had some difficulty too though-but I was pretty lame aside from basically one moment. There was a table full of hecklers who were drunk at the start of the show. I called on them and asked them to be quiet-very courteously. It worked for about thirty seconds and then they started mumbling and grumbling back to me along the lines of "Hey who does this dum@$$ think he is?"
I worked to ignore them-my jokes were not going over-partly because it wasn't hilarious stuff-partly because my energy was divided between thinking "What's my next bit?" and "How the heck am I going to get these guys to shut up without cursing at them?"
So I did what preachers do when we're in a spot-and hopefully at other times too. I prayed. I didn't say a silent prayer. I asked the entire bar to join me in prayer. I closed my eyes and bowed my head and prayed (out loud) something like "Dear Jesus, would you please make these guys understand that they have to be quiet. Please for the love of God would you make them shut up? Please Jesus? In your precious name. Amen."
They got quiet. I don't know if they were more stunned, or the rest of the crowd, or me. I know I got the comics in the back of the room rolling on the floor so I loved it and it gave me a shot in the arm.
A couple guys at the bar laughed at about three of my jokes so it wasn't a total loss-but really my job as MC is to set the stage-get the scattered room unified as Jesse Nutt told me-and I knew already but had forgotten. So as an MC I'd give it a C overall-for a bar show. I would have fared better in a comedy club.
But my classes at being a comic have just begun. Nothing replaces stage time. Nothing. Only in the bars and on small stages with crowds that really aren't particularly interested that you have a mic can a person really learn how to be a funny stand-up comic. I'm not saying that if someone who's a comic doesn't perform in bars isn't funny. I'm saying that a comic who doesn't work in small unfriendly venues isn't as strong as one who can. I for now can't. But I'm going to prepare so that I can. Kudos to all the comics out there who have busted their hump for years working mean crowds and winning some of them over.
Another lesson learned from a comic who was there was that you can be successful with the crowd and still fail as a comic. He was hilarious, he commanded the room. He was vile, funny, worked the crowd like a pro-because he was one-though not a headliner. His behavior revealed why that is probably the case.
He wasn't the headliner and yet he took up the headliner's stage time. He performed for maybe 45 minutes when his time was to be 30. He insulted several of the comics and then afterward was more concerned with the adulation of the crowd than with his fellow comics. VERY talented dude. VERY funny dude. HORRIBLE colleague. He also did about five shots and drank a beer on top of it during only the time he was on stage. He was visibly drunk by the end of the set. Sooooooooo.....
We can be hilarious and fail at being a comic, we can be kind and fail by not commanding the room or having developed the ability to take over a stage in a bar. I think somewhere in between is a good balance. Dominate the stage not your fellow comics. Make the other comics look good-which is what I didn't do-but out of ignorance-and what this other comic didn't do out of pride. The real failure would be to not go back up on stage after a lukewarm or bad night.
Nearly all of the other comics were pretty great and offered insights and tips as well as feedback. I got to learn from some experienced folks and it was FUN. Had a great time. Still having to learn the thick skinned stuff-but I'm getting there. I think I made it to maybe first grade in comedy school-and I ate the paste. Tomorrow I hear we'll be making a macaroni art rendition of the Sistine Chapel and I have high hopes.
Be well and know God can quiet our inner anxieties, our self doubt, and even some rude drunks on a Friday night in a bar just past a cornfield. Thanks be to God.
Dwight
The room was cold to start out with and I never was able to get the crowd fully into it. Some of the other comics had some difficulty too though-but I was pretty lame aside from basically one moment. There was a table full of hecklers who were drunk at the start of the show. I called on them and asked them to be quiet-very courteously. It worked for about thirty seconds and then they started mumbling and grumbling back to me along the lines of "Hey who does this dum@$$ think he is?"
I worked to ignore them-my jokes were not going over-partly because it wasn't hilarious stuff-partly because my energy was divided between thinking "What's my next bit?" and "How the heck am I going to get these guys to shut up without cursing at them?"
So I did what preachers do when we're in a spot-and hopefully at other times too. I prayed. I didn't say a silent prayer. I asked the entire bar to join me in prayer. I closed my eyes and bowed my head and prayed (out loud) something like "Dear Jesus, would you please make these guys understand that they have to be quiet. Please for the love of God would you make them shut up? Please Jesus? In your precious name. Amen."
They got quiet. I don't know if they were more stunned, or the rest of the crowd, or me. I know I got the comics in the back of the room rolling on the floor so I loved it and it gave me a shot in the arm.
A couple guys at the bar laughed at about three of my jokes so it wasn't a total loss-but really my job as MC is to set the stage-get the scattered room unified as Jesse Nutt told me-and I knew already but had forgotten. So as an MC I'd give it a C overall-for a bar show. I would have fared better in a comedy club.
But my classes at being a comic have just begun. Nothing replaces stage time. Nothing. Only in the bars and on small stages with crowds that really aren't particularly interested that you have a mic can a person really learn how to be a funny stand-up comic. I'm not saying that if someone who's a comic doesn't perform in bars isn't funny. I'm saying that a comic who doesn't work in small unfriendly venues isn't as strong as one who can. I for now can't. But I'm going to prepare so that I can. Kudos to all the comics out there who have busted their hump for years working mean crowds and winning some of them over.
Another lesson learned from a comic who was there was that you can be successful with the crowd and still fail as a comic. He was hilarious, he commanded the room. He was vile, funny, worked the crowd like a pro-because he was one-though not a headliner. His behavior revealed why that is probably the case.
He wasn't the headliner and yet he took up the headliner's stage time. He performed for maybe 45 minutes when his time was to be 30. He insulted several of the comics and then afterward was more concerned with the adulation of the crowd than with his fellow comics. VERY talented dude. VERY funny dude. HORRIBLE colleague. He also did about five shots and drank a beer on top of it during only the time he was on stage. He was visibly drunk by the end of the set. Sooooooooo.....
We can be hilarious and fail at being a comic, we can be kind and fail by not commanding the room or having developed the ability to take over a stage in a bar. I think somewhere in between is a good balance. Dominate the stage not your fellow comics. Make the other comics look good-which is what I didn't do-but out of ignorance-and what this other comic didn't do out of pride. The real failure would be to not go back up on stage after a lukewarm or bad night.
Nearly all of the other comics were pretty great and offered insights and tips as well as feedback. I got to learn from some experienced folks and it was FUN. Had a great time. Still having to learn the thick skinned stuff-but I'm getting there. I think I made it to maybe first grade in comedy school-and I ate the paste. Tomorrow I hear we'll be making a macaroni art rendition of the Sistine Chapel and I have high hopes.
Be well and know God can quiet our inner anxieties, our self doubt, and even some rude drunks on a Friday night in a bar just past a cornfield. Thanks be to God.
Dwight
Friday, October 23, 2009
Unclean!
My wife Sarah has had the flu all week. H1N1 is the likely strain she has according to the doctor. She's been quarantined in our room all week and we've been sending food in, wearing masks, and bleaching every surface of the house-everything but the dog in fact. Our house smells clean now so it's nice. The dog still stinks-is it animal cruelty to douse your dog in Clorox every couple of weeks? Probably so-wouldn't be good for her eyes either I imagine.
Sarah's missed work five days in a row-well four. She went in to work Monday and left early because her body ached all over. We got her some Tamiflu and codeine cough syrup and hunkered down.
Her sickness makes me realize how much I rely on her. I can't imagine having to be a single parent. If you are one and happen to read this blog-YOU ROCK! Nuttin' but love for ya.
I could rant and whine a bit about the difficulty of getting the kids ready on my own-bathing them nightly, brushing teeth, feeding them, picking them up from school-watching them in the evening even having to take them to work a couple of nights. But like Chris Rock says "People are stupid when they try to get credit for things they're SUPPOSED to do". His examples were someone saying "I take CARE of MY kids." "You're SUPPOSED to take care of your kids." "I ain't NEVER been to jail". "You're not SUPPOSED to go to jail."
So I've done nothing particularly spectacular other than gain the perspective that I need my wife and miss her. That and being a single parent is probably deserving of some form of award or coupon or something.
The hardest part isn't help with the kids-it's not being able to hug Sarah,or kiss her, or even touch her. Lousy to have the person you love nearby without being able to show them the affection you feel. The girls have done something cool-they said "Mommy I'm giving you a mental hug" and then Chloe closed her eyes and thought about hugging her mom. Sarah returned the action. Phoebe is throwing kisses-not blowing throwing. She grabs at her mouth as she kisses and throws it to mommy through the doorway and Sarah returns the favor. It's cute to me and makes me smile.
As difficult as this has seemed to be-we're not in a country divided by war, we're not having to struggle to survive, and any other number of things I could list. This sickness will pass and many people have illnesses that don't. So we're good-a few days of adjustment that's all.
So a big thank you to Jesus for helping us through the week (he folded some laundry and did some dishes on top of the whole all loving, knowing, and seeing thing). Thanks to anyone who's been praying in response to my sort of desperate Facebook status updates. Interesting that Google and Yahoo have not put the word "Facebook" in their spell check engines.
Anyway-hope you're household has avoided the flu, and if you get it I hope it goes away quickly and that you don't have to overuse bleach and give mental hugs....unless of course you just want to.
Grace and peace to you and yours,
Dwight
Sarah's missed work five days in a row-well four. She went in to work Monday and left early because her body ached all over. We got her some Tamiflu and codeine cough syrup and hunkered down.
Her sickness makes me realize how much I rely on her. I can't imagine having to be a single parent. If you are one and happen to read this blog-YOU ROCK! Nuttin' but love for ya.
I could rant and whine a bit about the difficulty of getting the kids ready on my own-bathing them nightly, brushing teeth, feeding them, picking them up from school-watching them in the evening even having to take them to work a couple of nights. But like Chris Rock says "People are stupid when they try to get credit for things they're SUPPOSED to do". His examples were someone saying "I take CARE of MY kids." "You're SUPPOSED to take care of your kids." "I ain't NEVER been to jail". "You're not SUPPOSED to go to jail."
So I've done nothing particularly spectacular other than gain the perspective that I need my wife and miss her. That and being a single parent is probably deserving of some form of award or coupon or something.
The hardest part isn't help with the kids-it's not being able to hug Sarah,or kiss her, or even touch her. Lousy to have the person you love nearby without being able to show them the affection you feel. The girls have done something cool-they said "Mommy I'm giving you a mental hug" and then Chloe closed her eyes and thought about hugging her mom. Sarah returned the action. Phoebe is throwing kisses-not blowing throwing. She grabs at her mouth as she kisses and throws it to mommy through the doorway and Sarah returns the favor. It's cute to me and makes me smile.
As difficult as this has seemed to be-we're not in a country divided by war, we're not having to struggle to survive, and any other number of things I could list. This sickness will pass and many people have illnesses that don't. So we're good-a few days of adjustment that's all.
So a big thank you to Jesus for helping us through the week (he folded some laundry and did some dishes on top of the whole all loving, knowing, and seeing thing). Thanks to anyone who's been praying in response to my sort of desperate Facebook status updates. Interesting that Google and Yahoo have not put the word "Facebook" in their spell check engines.
Anyway-hope you're household has avoided the flu, and if you get it I hope it goes away quickly and that you don't have to overuse bleach and give mental hugs....unless of course you just want to.
Grace and peace to you and yours,
Dwight
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
frazzled
I wondered if I didn't set my alarm what time I would wake up naturally on a typical school and work day. Turns out it's 7:42AM. That's not extremely late in the day-but it's ten minutes past when we typically leave for school, and it's an hour and ten minutes past the time we typically get moving and awake to get ready for the day.
I hit the ground running as did the entire family flailing through piles of clean laundry to find socks. Socks are the Holy Grail in my household. Clean ones anyway. If you find a pair it is an awe filled discovery that many have given their lives for through the ages.
We clothed the children, brushed their hair and teeth, and I threw on clothes to drive them to school and daycare respectively. In an attempt to beat the tardy bell at Chloe's school I left the house clothed but without having brushed my hair. I sported a white t-shirt wrinkled from its night on the floor, a pair of khakis also worse for wear, some brown dress shoes, and a pile of a naturally curly haired persons hair having slept on it all night hairdo. Imagine the satisfaction I felt when Chloe told me I'd have to walk her in to get a tardy pass.
I did so begrudgingly having tried in vain to use my hands to settle the mess up top-I even used some spit to no avail. We walked in with me towing Phoebe by the hand. Chloe went into her classroom while I went to the tardy pass table down the hall. The woman looked at me and her face read "This man has just returned from a hard night of drinking and I'm not even sure he has a child in school here perhaps I need to call security." I kid you not she denied handing me a tardy pass for Chloe and said that they would send her to the office to get one-all while standing up and moving away from me.
Sometimes I forget that I'm a big man-a bit overweight but also very thick and possibly a bit intimidating-especially when I look as though I fell out of a dryer after a few spins. I walked to the car a 240lb linebacker with my hand attached to a 40lb 2.5 foot tall fairy princess (Phoebe) and hoped I wouldn't have to see anyone else.
As I piled into the car a woman in a Dodge mini-van parked her van near where I parked. Her hair and makeup were immaculate and she looked at me with a look that said "I'm here to pick up my child and I hope you didn't just abduct her." I waved and grimaced. I was tempted to jump out of the car and scamper towards her in an ape like gallop but then my daughter has to go to school there every day, and the headline "Local pastor intimidates parent and school children with a gorilla like rampage" didn't seem like something I'd like to have in the Springfield News Sun. That headline would be too long anyway. She could have been packing a gun and it would read "Local pastor shot and killed" which would be even less amusing.
The moral of the story? I'm overly concerned with my personal appearance, but not so much that I remember to always set my alarm.
OR is it: How much then can I forgive myself and others when we fall short of the ideal? About as much as it would take for me to walk through the hallway of a public school looking frazzled with my daughter so she wouldn't have to walk down it alone. I'd gladly stand before an auditorium full of people in the state I was in this morning if she needed that to know I love her.
Take care everyone-I hope to write more often. If you haven't abandoned the posts here entirely I thank you for your patience.
Peace to you and yours. You are dearly loved by God-always. We all are.
Dwight
I hit the ground running as did the entire family flailing through piles of clean laundry to find socks. Socks are the Holy Grail in my household. Clean ones anyway. If you find a pair it is an awe filled discovery that many have given their lives for through the ages.
We clothed the children, brushed their hair and teeth, and I threw on clothes to drive them to school and daycare respectively. In an attempt to beat the tardy bell at Chloe's school I left the house clothed but without having brushed my hair. I sported a white t-shirt wrinkled from its night on the floor, a pair of khakis also worse for wear, some brown dress shoes, and a pile of a naturally curly haired persons hair having slept on it all night hairdo. Imagine the satisfaction I felt when Chloe told me I'd have to walk her in to get a tardy pass.
I did so begrudgingly having tried in vain to use my hands to settle the mess up top-I even used some spit to no avail. We walked in with me towing Phoebe by the hand. Chloe went into her classroom while I went to the tardy pass table down the hall. The woman looked at me and her face read "This man has just returned from a hard night of drinking and I'm not even sure he has a child in school here perhaps I need to call security." I kid you not she denied handing me a tardy pass for Chloe and said that they would send her to the office to get one-all while standing up and moving away from me.
Sometimes I forget that I'm a big man-a bit overweight but also very thick and possibly a bit intimidating-especially when I look as though I fell out of a dryer after a few spins. I walked to the car a 240lb linebacker with my hand attached to a 40lb 2.5 foot tall fairy princess (Phoebe) and hoped I wouldn't have to see anyone else.
As I piled into the car a woman in a Dodge mini-van parked her van near where I parked. Her hair and makeup were immaculate and she looked at me with a look that said "I'm here to pick up my child and I hope you didn't just abduct her." I waved and grimaced. I was tempted to jump out of the car and scamper towards her in an ape like gallop but then my daughter has to go to school there every day, and the headline "Local pastor intimidates parent and school children with a gorilla like rampage" didn't seem like something I'd like to have in the Springfield News Sun. That headline would be too long anyway. She could have been packing a gun and it would read "Local pastor shot and killed" which would be even less amusing.
The moral of the story? I'm overly concerned with my personal appearance, but not so much that I remember to always set my alarm.
OR is it: How much then can I forgive myself and others when we fall short of the ideal? About as much as it would take for me to walk through the hallway of a public school looking frazzled with my daughter so she wouldn't have to walk down it alone. I'd gladly stand before an auditorium full of people in the state I was in this morning if she needed that to know I love her.
Take care everyone-I hope to write more often. If you haven't abandoned the posts here entirely I thank you for your patience.
Peace to you and yours. You are dearly loved by God-always. We all are.
Dwight
Monday, September 14, 2009
Off to the races
We had an eventful time last Friday night. Sarah, the girls, and I were treated to a local raceway called Killkare in Xenia Ohio. Cindy Ater and her family took us to watch as Cindy's husband Dick competed in the Modified class of cars. He came in second in his grouping.
It was a half mile track of pavement where huge engined cars (in the modified class) drove in an oval to try and win points and prizes for the season. It was the last of the season and it was chilly and loud.
It was fun to be a part of a crowd and to be with people just to have some fun. Often I miss out on the joys of being a pastor because I get too caught up in the business of being a pastor. I miss ministry by trying to be a good minister. Fun can often be a part of the equation if we're looking for it though. Friday reminded me of that.
I was most fascinated by the Legends cars. They looked like miniature version of model 1943 ford coupes and were not much bigger than a golf cart. Some had snowmobile engines in them. They are single seat cars-one center seat in the middle and seem to be ideally suited to such a short track.
Another class we got to see was the compact car series-I loved seeing these having owned a Honda Civic that helped save my life. They sounded like bumble bees on steroids buzzing around the track and put on a big show. The winner of their race was a Honda Prelude beating out a couple of Chevy Berettas. I thought all of the Beretta's resided in small towns in WV like I'm from or in South Jersey-but they were there in force in this race class.
I wish I could come up with some significant metaphor like life is like racing-we go round and round and if we don't take care of ourselves our engines will blow and we'll have to retire to the junkyard in the sky. But I just don't have it in me.
I write this to say if you have a chance to go see live racing-go. It's REALLY entertaining and makes more sense in person. For those who offer the driving tip wisdom to NASCAR "Drive really fast and turn left every so often" I invite you to go see what it's like. Your opinion will change. Even at the grassroots level it's a really fun time and you can see competition and creativity at work.
Be good race fans and be sure and take care of your engines. I couldn't resist.
Shalom ya'll,
Dwight
It was a half mile track of pavement where huge engined cars (in the modified class) drove in an oval to try and win points and prizes for the season. It was the last of the season and it was chilly and loud.
It was fun to be a part of a crowd and to be with people just to have some fun. Often I miss out on the joys of being a pastor because I get too caught up in the business of being a pastor. I miss ministry by trying to be a good minister. Fun can often be a part of the equation if we're looking for it though. Friday reminded me of that.
I was most fascinated by the Legends cars. They looked like miniature version of model 1943 ford coupes and were not much bigger than a golf cart. Some had snowmobile engines in them. They are single seat cars-one center seat in the middle and seem to be ideally suited to such a short track.
Another class we got to see was the compact car series-I loved seeing these having owned a Honda Civic that helped save my life. They sounded like bumble bees on steroids buzzing around the track and put on a big show. The winner of their race was a Honda Prelude beating out a couple of Chevy Berettas. I thought all of the Beretta's resided in small towns in WV like I'm from or in South Jersey-but they were there in force in this race class.
I wish I could come up with some significant metaphor like life is like racing-we go round and round and if we don't take care of ourselves our engines will blow and we'll have to retire to the junkyard in the sky. But I just don't have it in me.
I write this to say if you have a chance to go see live racing-go. It's REALLY entertaining and makes more sense in person. For those who offer the driving tip wisdom to NASCAR "Drive really fast and turn left every so often" I invite you to go see what it's like. Your opinion will change. Even at the grassroots level it's a really fun time and you can see competition and creativity at work.
Be good race fans and be sure and take care of your engines. I couldn't resist.
Shalom ya'll,
Dwight
The Shoe
Not the kind you wear. As in the Horseshoe as the Ohio State Buckeye Football stadium is known.
I was blessed to receive a ticket to the Ohio State USC football game this past Saturday. Thanks to Ron Montgomery. We sat on the 10 yard line about thirty rows up and had a great view of a pretty good game.
I frequently have mentioned it at church-but there's something about over a hundred thousand people cheering for a common goal. The attendance that day was 106,033 people-a new stadium record. The place was rocking the whole game until a disappointing finish when USC won on their last drive of the game.
I understand now the rabid nature of the Buckeye fan and how exciting it is to be a part of something much bigger than ourselves. It would be a dream come true to get that many people to be rabid about our faith in Jesus Christ. I've blogged about it before-but I am amazed at the similarities between a football game and the fan rituals and the life of a church. The big difference is we're worshiping a team and not the Living God.
There is the communal eating-in church it's Communion, the Body and Blood of Christ-the symbols of the Body and Blood-bread and wine. In football-it's the burger, the brats, the hotdog, the chips etc and beer, soda, wine, or liquor.
There's the gathering beforehand with people you're friends with to prepare for the worship service/game-tailgating-not unlike the fellowship hour at church before worship.
There's the praise band in the form of a marching band. In the case of baseball they even have an organ to play the songs.
There's the wearing of team colors and the cheerleaders (would that be like donning our Sunday best and the equivalent of our pastors and choir director leading the worship)?
The teams would be the little gods we make and worship-we certainly idolize them and value them more highly than other humans for their physical prowess and strength. We analyze their skills and measure them against one another and our own expectations-blaming them when something goes wrong and praising them when something goes well-not unlike humanity's tendencies with the Divine.
Like football fans Christians are called to celebrate-not a team but the Divine presence of the Holy Spirit.
Unlike God-our teams will let us down. Also unlike God-there are many teams to divide our loyalties. God desires for us to love God with our whole hearts, our whole minds, and all of our strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves-even if we wear different colors of skin, and even if we happen to call God by another name like Allah, or the God of Israel.
I was witness to one of the most impressive demonstrations of enthusiasm and unity in the form of a raucous Ohio State crowd in Columbus on Saturday. It is my hope that my role as cheerleader and coach will help inspire others to focus even a portion of their enthusiasm for football on the will to follow Jesus Christ.
For now I have to go-I have cheerleading practice.....
Shalom y'all,
Dwight
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Tell me that funny story again
One of my seminary professors joked with me about life in a small town as we both had grown up in them. We joked about what there was to do on a Saturday night. Basically we said you'd sit on someone's front porch and talk. Eventually someone would say. "Hey say that thing you said last week that was so funny to me again." That was our equivalent of attending a comedy club. Entertaining one another with the funny stories we remembered.
I recently found an instance of humor related to telling the same story over again. My mom is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. It's taken her short term memory for now-and will eventually take the rest of her mind. About the time she moved up here for us to begin taking care of her (to Springfield OH) she re-connected with her sister. They hadn't spoken in years. I would sit sometimes and listen to mom's conversation on the phone with her sister and noticed that each time she would talk-she would mention similar stories-if not identical to the ones she'd shared before on the phone.
Her repetition of stories wasn't new to me-it is one of the first signals that she was beginning to experience dementia. I was a bit embarrassed by my aunt having to listen to the same stories over and over and wondered to myself how much she must love mom to be willing to sit through identical conversations that lasted often an hour or more.
Recently in speaking with my cousin Mike, my aunt's son, he shared with me that his mom too was suffering from dementia-and that her memory had gone too. So it made me laugh and smile as I understood that both women were sharing identical stories and memories with one another as though they were recounting them for the first time. Each time they spoke they were experiencing the joy of the other person's company anew. The conversations included a lot of laughter-big laughs on mom's side of things and I imagine on my aunt's as well.
Think of the ability to experience the newness and joy of a relationship over and over with no understanding of the ways in which relationships sometimes decline and become stale. So at least for the time being mom can experience joy over and over as she talks with her sister-and I can get some happiness in hearing her laugh with someone she loves.
What stories do you remember that make you smile? What's the funniest story you've ever heard? Let me know in the comments.
Peace,
Dwight
I recently found an instance of humor related to telling the same story over again. My mom is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. It's taken her short term memory for now-and will eventually take the rest of her mind. About the time she moved up here for us to begin taking care of her (to Springfield OH) she re-connected with her sister. They hadn't spoken in years. I would sit sometimes and listen to mom's conversation on the phone with her sister and noticed that each time she would talk-she would mention similar stories-if not identical to the ones she'd shared before on the phone.
Her repetition of stories wasn't new to me-it is one of the first signals that she was beginning to experience dementia. I was a bit embarrassed by my aunt having to listen to the same stories over and over and wondered to myself how much she must love mom to be willing to sit through identical conversations that lasted often an hour or more.
Recently in speaking with my cousin Mike, my aunt's son, he shared with me that his mom too was suffering from dementia-and that her memory had gone too. So it made me laugh and smile as I understood that both women were sharing identical stories and memories with one another as though they were recounting them for the first time. Each time they spoke they were experiencing the joy of the other person's company anew. The conversations included a lot of laughter-big laughs on mom's side of things and I imagine on my aunt's as well.
Think of the ability to experience the newness and joy of a relationship over and over with no understanding of the ways in which relationships sometimes decline and become stale. So at least for the time being mom can experience joy over and over as she talks with her sister-and I can get some happiness in hearing her laugh with someone she loves.
What stories do you remember that make you smile? What's the funniest story you've ever heard? Let me know in the comments.
Peace,
Dwight
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
False Humility
It occurs to me that I may have written on this topic before now. If so then enjoy this blast from the past-consider it a remake. If not then I hope you enjoy it anyway.
I was thinking about how people pay compliments to pastors and we often deflect the comment rather than receiving the positive intent of it. I think it's in the name of Holy humility. The idea is Scriptural to "not think more highly of yourselves than you ought to". In a Presbyterian Confession known as the Westminster Confession of Faith the first question is: "What is the chief aim of humanity?" The answer: "To glorify God and enjoy God forever."
Therefore any compliment paid to a pastor is often deferred to God's glory above self glory. Not a bad thing in general to give God praise-God's pretty amazing and the love we receive from God is praiseworthy. But I think it can sometimes be false humility-which I know I'm guilty of for sure. In fact we relish the compliments and even jockey for position to receive them. (that's why us pastor's stand by the door at the end of worship right?)
Is it sinful to accept a compliment on a sermon or desire affirmation? After all we've spent a lot of hours to prepare a sermon-and occasionally it turns out to be a creative and faithful interpretation of Scripture. I guess though it comes down to whether our chief aim is to glorify self then we're off track. If we preach or minister for the recognition rather than the reconciliation of humankind with God then we fall short of the ideal. Thankfully God's grace is there to pick us up then too.
So if someone pays a compliment why don't we practice saying-"Thank you." Because the person who God created us to be is glorious in many ways-and as part of God's creation being praised is ultimately glorifying God right? As long as I don't get a tattoo of my own face on my arm with the logo "I'm number one" I'm probably safe. Pastors are reliant on God and others for ministry that is reflective of the community of faith rather than only the personality of the pastor. It's OK though to take some credit when we've worked hard and been faithful.
In closing I'd just like to give God all the glory honor and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ without whom I could not have written any blogs or anything worth a darn.
Peace,
Dwight
I was thinking about how people pay compliments to pastors and we often deflect the comment rather than receiving the positive intent of it. I think it's in the name of Holy humility. The idea is Scriptural to "not think more highly of yourselves than you ought to". In a Presbyterian Confession known as the Westminster Confession of Faith the first question is: "What is the chief aim of humanity?" The answer: "To glorify God and enjoy God forever."
Therefore any compliment paid to a pastor is often deferred to God's glory above self glory. Not a bad thing in general to give God praise-God's pretty amazing and the love we receive from God is praiseworthy. But I think it can sometimes be false humility-which I know I'm guilty of for sure. In fact we relish the compliments and even jockey for position to receive them. (that's why us pastor's stand by the door at the end of worship right?)
Is it sinful to accept a compliment on a sermon or desire affirmation? After all we've spent a lot of hours to prepare a sermon-and occasionally it turns out to be a creative and faithful interpretation of Scripture. I guess though it comes down to whether our chief aim is to glorify self then we're off track. If we preach or minister for the recognition rather than the reconciliation of humankind with God then we fall short of the ideal. Thankfully God's grace is there to pick us up then too.
So if someone pays a compliment why don't we practice saying-"Thank you." Because the person who God created us to be is glorious in many ways-and as part of God's creation being praised is ultimately glorifying God right? As long as I don't get a tattoo of my own face on my arm with the logo "I'm number one" I'm probably safe. Pastors are reliant on God and others for ministry that is reflective of the community of faith rather than only the personality of the pastor. It's OK though to take some credit when we've worked hard and been faithful.
In closing I'd just like to give God all the glory honor and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ without whom I could not have written any blogs or anything worth a darn.
Peace,
Dwight
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Off the hook
What a fun night. I had a great set at the Holiday Inn in Springfield OH. I know what you're thinking....wow man....Dwight has ARRIVED. It was one of the contests where you go up and get evaluated on the night and I didn't get first or second-I don't know if I got third. But I KILLED. The crowd was lovin' my stuff and I was performing it better than I have maybe EVER. So good times. One of the pros mentioned that going towards the front of the lineup can make your act less hot than it would have been if it were at the end...the two comics who won? The last two to perform. I was fourth....not saying they weren't better comics-but I had an amazing set.
Being successful during a performance is perhaps one of the finest feelings on the planet. I am grateful to God for working through me.
I was standing there afterward with the two comics who won-both working comics by the way-and noticed something that I know will help me along the way. I felt like I belonged-that I was not having to think of myself as play acting as though I was a comic. Tonight....I was a comic....I am a comic. This realization will make me better from here on out. The crowd can crush you as well as lift you high on their shoulders...but tonight was mine and God's and it was and is amazing.
Where do we experience the most excitement in our faith lives? Is it in a charismatic worship service with Holy Ghost preaching and dancing? Is it in a well prepared intellectual sermon that touches us in our heart but in a subtle and quite way? Or is it when we can go into a place where perhaps the last thing on people's mind is God and church...and we can bring it into their awareness and point to it as something full of life and maybe not so out of touch after all. That doesn't have to be in a comedy performance-but it's like a definition of the call into ministry posted on the PC(USA) website (or it used to be)-a calling is where your deepest passion and the deepest need of the world meet. For me-that's comedy in addition to being a Minister of the Word and Sacrament.
As God continues to work through me to help people not fear laughter, (as it pertains to the Holy and the Sacred), I believe it can help reach people who have written off or never considered Church. It could help folks think about God and the Kingdom of God perhaps more seriously from having laughed about it.
I have no delusions that I'm the next Billy Graham Cosby...I just know that God can use this as a way of helping get the church off the hook for all of the violence and damage we've done in the name of God. It's a VERY small part of that type of healing-but it's a start. It's a part of the whole picture-a pixel of prayer amongst the many people working to lift up Jesus and praise the Kingdom of God. I am glad to be a part of it.
I look forward to when I next hear the words from a person in the crowd afterward about my act "THAT was OFF THE HOOK" and remember to thank God for helping me perform and facilitate some joy.
Please forgive the self aggrandizement here-I just love it when I am able to do well and bring some joy to other people doing what I love-and I wanted to share it with the handful of folks who stop by here now and again.
grace and peace of Christ to you all,
Dwight
Being successful during a performance is perhaps one of the finest feelings on the planet. I am grateful to God for working through me.
I was standing there afterward with the two comics who won-both working comics by the way-and noticed something that I know will help me along the way. I felt like I belonged-that I was not having to think of myself as play acting as though I was a comic. Tonight....I was a comic....I am a comic. This realization will make me better from here on out. The crowd can crush you as well as lift you high on their shoulders...but tonight was mine and God's and it was and is amazing.
Where do we experience the most excitement in our faith lives? Is it in a charismatic worship service with Holy Ghost preaching and dancing? Is it in a well prepared intellectual sermon that touches us in our heart but in a subtle and quite way? Or is it when we can go into a place where perhaps the last thing on people's mind is God and church...and we can bring it into their awareness and point to it as something full of life and maybe not so out of touch after all. That doesn't have to be in a comedy performance-but it's like a definition of the call into ministry posted on the PC(USA) website (or it used to be)-a calling is where your deepest passion and the deepest need of the world meet. For me-that's comedy in addition to being a Minister of the Word and Sacrament.
As God continues to work through me to help people not fear laughter, (as it pertains to the Holy and the Sacred), I believe it can help reach people who have written off or never considered Church. It could help folks think about God and the Kingdom of God perhaps more seriously from having laughed about it.
I have no delusions that I'm the next Billy Graham Cosby...I just know that God can use this as a way of helping get the church off the hook for all of the violence and damage we've done in the name of God. It's a VERY small part of that type of healing-but it's a start. It's a part of the whole picture-a pixel of prayer amongst the many people working to lift up Jesus and praise the Kingdom of God. I am glad to be a part of it.
I look forward to when I next hear the words from a person in the crowd afterward about my act "THAT was OFF THE HOOK" and remember to thank God for helping me perform and facilitate some joy.
Please forgive the self aggrandizement here-I just love it when I am able to do well and bring some joy to other people doing what I love-and I wanted to share it with the handful of folks who stop by here now and again.
grace and peace of Christ to you all,
Dwight
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Of House Elves and Mercy
I was thinking today as I often do about forgiveness. Often I visit the ghost of forgiveness past. What I mean is I think about something I did long ago that I regret and let it hang around in my memory and re-visit it every now and again maybe as a means of penance, or repentance-who knows.
The tendency of humanity can sometimes be to carry around some sin with us as though it can still be held as evidence that we're no good-or that we are out of line with God's will, or maybe as a means of glorifying some perceived necessity for suffering as a servant of God. i.e. an unhealthy valuing of self-flagellation in the name of qualifying for God's grace. We may even carry around the sin that we feel has been committed against us as well. As though our memory of a wrong committed against us punishes the person who did the offending.
A good example of the former practice is Dobby the House Elf in the Harry Potter books. If he makes some slight mistake he runs to a cupboard to pull out a pan and bashes himself in the head with it-or bangs his head on the floor and says "Oh Harry Potter I've fallen short please forgive Dobby as I'm so unworthy." If you've read the books house elves often punish themselves in disproportionate measure with their "offense"-and often whatever they've done hasn't been offensive to anyone but them.
An example of holding onto an offense we feel was committed against us can take the form of a grudge against a former partner or lover who we feel parted ways in an unjust or unkind way. To carry around that anger is just as destructive as banging our heads with pans. To carry around in our memories the record of past wrongs we've committed is destructive as well. So rather than wearing football helmets and continuing the practice of grudges and spiritual self mutilation it is helpful for us to seek a more excellent way-that of love-the love of God specifically.
To know Jesus Christ is to know mercy, and to know mercy is to be freed from this practice of self punishment and the ghosts and goblins of our past life. There is room for accountability-but not room for trying to carry the burden of our sins that have been forgiven by Jesus Christ-and that have been carried away from us as far as the east is from the west. There is room for hurt from legitimately wrong behaviors we have experienced in others, but not for nourishing the wound rather than receiving the balm of grace that heals our hearts and minds.
So I pray that I along with you can practice the art of mercy with ourselves as an extension of the grace that Jesus has given us freely. It will help cut down on the head injury treatments if nothing else.
Grace to you and peace of our Lord Jesus,
Dwight
The tendency of humanity can sometimes be to carry around some sin with us as though it can still be held as evidence that we're no good-or that we are out of line with God's will, or maybe as a means of glorifying some perceived necessity for suffering as a servant of God. i.e. an unhealthy valuing of self-flagellation in the name of qualifying for God's grace. We may even carry around the sin that we feel has been committed against us as well. As though our memory of a wrong committed against us punishes the person who did the offending.
A good example of the former practice is Dobby the House Elf in the Harry Potter books. If he makes some slight mistake he runs to a cupboard to pull out a pan and bashes himself in the head with it-or bangs his head on the floor and says "Oh Harry Potter I've fallen short please forgive Dobby as I'm so unworthy." If you've read the books house elves often punish themselves in disproportionate measure with their "offense"-and often whatever they've done hasn't been offensive to anyone but them.
An example of holding onto an offense we feel was committed against us can take the form of a grudge against a former partner or lover who we feel parted ways in an unjust or unkind way. To carry around that anger is just as destructive as banging our heads with pans. To carry around in our memories the record of past wrongs we've committed is destructive as well. So rather than wearing football helmets and continuing the practice of grudges and spiritual self mutilation it is helpful for us to seek a more excellent way-that of love-the love of God specifically.
To know Jesus Christ is to know mercy, and to know mercy is to be freed from this practice of self punishment and the ghosts and goblins of our past life. There is room for accountability-but not room for trying to carry the burden of our sins that have been forgiven by Jesus Christ-and that have been carried away from us as far as the east is from the west. There is room for hurt from legitimately wrong behaviors we have experienced in others, but not for nourishing the wound rather than receiving the balm of grace that heals our hearts and minds.
So I pray that I along with you can practice the art of mercy with ourselves as an extension of the grace that Jesus has given us freely. It will help cut down on the head injury treatments if nothing else.
Grace to you and peace of our Lord Jesus,
Dwight
Friday, July 17, 2009
Seeing is believing
Hello,
I'm giving you some video today rather than all written word. If you've visited here before then you know that I talk about being a Presbyterian minister who is also a stand-up comic. I'm on the verge of being a working comic-that is a comic who has regular gigs for pay.
In order to reach that point-one must have promotion materials-here are some of mine. Some clips on YouTube. Link to the clips if you're so inclined and share them with your pastors, churches, whomever you know who wants to have a Presbyterian Minister come to make them laugh.
Enjoy the clips and leave some comments and ratings while you're at it.
Thanks for reading AND thanks for WATCHING! http://www.youtube.com/preachercomicdwight
Grace to you and yours,
Dwight
I'm giving you some video today rather than all written word. If you've visited here before then you know that I talk about being a Presbyterian minister who is also a stand-up comic. I'm on the verge of being a working comic-that is a comic who has regular gigs for pay.
In order to reach that point-one must have promotion materials-here are some of mine. Some clips on YouTube. Link to the clips if you're so inclined and share them with your pastors, churches, whomever you know who wants to have a Presbyterian Minister come to make them laugh.
Enjoy the clips and leave some comments and ratings while you're at it.
Thanks for reading AND thanks for WATCHING! http://www.youtube.com/preachercomicdwight
Grace to you and yours,
Dwight
Monday, July 13, 2009
Shaken AND Stirred
Martinis in Bond movies of course the basis for the post title. It also describes the last couple of days of my two week hiatus from work, blogging, and anything else that required much conscious thought on my part. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were filled with two loved ones vomit multiple times over several days. It was rattling-and disappointing to end a vacation on that note. However I am grateful that today is a new day-and that I have been refreshed and renewed by God. Shaken by circumstances, stirred to respond to them in as positive a light as I am able with God's help.
I have been shaken too because of the month of June and all that it entailed as well. Now I find myself stirred by the Holy Spirit. I have been stirred to regularly and consistently show the love of Christ to myself. Pastors on the whole are often least capable of treating themselves with the care that they readily provide to others. There are numerous reasons for this-mine are best left to discussions with my confidants and in prayer. Let's just say that no one is able to give of themselves to others if they have not established and nurtured a self to give. This isn't a revelation to many-but it is something that I am still learning.
The concept of "pulling one's own weight" and "pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps" was something I learned early on and have to let go of now because it isn't working for me. If we work to establish self worth-then we are working against the Grace of God. We have value because of God's love for us-then we work out of gratitude for that love rather than to gain it. I've reversed that order and lived too long in that place.
Like comics-pastors sometimes are needy folks-thinking that in caring for others fulfillment and worth will come as a result. Comics think that if they get a crowd to laugh and/or like them-that some form of fulfillment and worth will result. Here's the trick though on both counts: If a person goes on stage, or goes into ministry or any helping profession from a place of needing validation of worth-then the task of ministry/stand-up/whatever else becomes impossible. Worth is given freely by God-so successful ministry and comedy come from a place of knowing you have talent/worth before you go on stage-or provide ministry for and with people.
A comic who's been at it a while will tell you in more informed and eloquent terms than I am able to here that you have to be convinced and confident that you are the funniest person coming or going BEFORE you take the stage. You don't do this out of arrogance-you do it because if you don't then you can't be funny-if you don't believe it-then the crowd won't either.
The same is true of ministry-if we don't believe that we are a valuable enough person to treat our bodies and souls with love and care then it isn't possible to provide consistent and authentic care for others. If we don't believe that we have worth because of being a child of God-not because of what we have achieved or because we have proven ourselves worthy then we are without a solid foundation from which to approach loving others.
All of us struggle to find validation in some way-something in which to ground our worth, our acceptance of self, and our need to be loved, to be heard, to be touched.
For me as a Christian and as a pastor I draw that from being grounded in Jesus Christ and his enduring unconditional love for me and his enduring and unconditional love for all of humanity. As often as I am able and as often as you are able we are helped by reminding ourselves of this truth-GOD LOVES US AND CLAIMS US AS WORTHY AND ACCEPTABLE BY GRACE FREELY GIVEN-NOT BECAUSE OF OUR HAVING EARNED IT. That is the gospel-the good news.
I pray that God gives us all the wisdom to see this Grace as ever present and as a calling to love ourselves. Knowing the words are true is the beginning-putting into practice the art of self care is the work that we can do out of gratitude for the love of God for us. So please along with me-let's be gentle and loving with who we are knowing that God is still leading us from where we are as people to where we can be.
Finally and ultimately then we will be empowered to love others by serving them martinis and watching Bond movies I guess is my point-no wait that's not it-serving ourselves martinis? I have to go and think of a better segue or tie in for my next blog-and allow myself to have written one that is less than perfect-there's that love of self again.
Be good to your waiters and waitresses as they've been good to you.
D
I have been shaken too because of the month of June and all that it entailed as well. Now I find myself stirred by the Holy Spirit. I have been stirred to regularly and consistently show the love of Christ to myself. Pastors on the whole are often least capable of treating themselves with the care that they readily provide to others. There are numerous reasons for this-mine are best left to discussions with my confidants and in prayer. Let's just say that no one is able to give of themselves to others if they have not established and nurtured a self to give. This isn't a revelation to many-but it is something that I am still learning.
The concept of "pulling one's own weight" and "pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps" was something I learned early on and have to let go of now because it isn't working for me. If we work to establish self worth-then we are working against the Grace of God. We have value because of God's love for us-then we work out of gratitude for that love rather than to gain it. I've reversed that order and lived too long in that place.
Like comics-pastors sometimes are needy folks-thinking that in caring for others fulfillment and worth will come as a result. Comics think that if they get a crowd to laugh and/or like them-that some form of fulfillment and worth will result. Here's the trick though on both counts: If a person goes on stage, or goes into ministry or any helping profession from a place of needing validation of worth-then the task of ministry/stand-up/whatever else becomes impossible. Worth is given freely by God-so successful ministry and comedy come from a place of knowing you have talent/worth before you go on stage-or provide ministry for and with people.
A comic who's been at it a while will tell you in more informed and eloquent terms than I am able to here that you have to be convinced and confident that you are the funniest person coming or going BEFORE you take the stage. You don't do this out of arrogance-you do it because if you don't then you can't be funny-if you don't believe it-then the crowd won't either.
The same is true of ministry-if we don't believe that we are a valuable enough person to treat our bodies and souls with love and care then it isn't possible to provide consistent and authentic care for others. If we don't believe that we have worth because of being a child of God-not because of what we have achieved or because we have proven ourselves worthy then we are without a solid foundation from which to approach loving others.
All of us struggle to find validation in some way-something in which to ground our worth, our acceptance of self, and our need to be loved, to be heard, to be touched.
For me as a Christian and as a pastor I draw that from being grounded in Jesus Christ and his enduring unconditional love for me and his enduring and unconditional love for all of humanity. As often as I am able and as often as you are able we are helped by reminding ourselves of this truth-GOD LOVES US AND CLAIMS US AS WORTHY AND ACCEPTABLE BY GRACE FREELY GIVEN-NOT BECAUSE OF OUR HAVING EARNED IT. That is the gospel-the good news.
I pray that God gives us all the wisdom to see this Grace as ever present and as a calling to love ourselves. Knowing the words are true is the beginning-putting into practice the art of self care is the work that we can do out of gratitude for the love of God for us. So please along with me-let's be gentle and loving with who we are knowing that God is still leading us from where we are as people to where we can be.
Finally and ultimately then we will be empowered to love others by serving them martinis and watching Bond movies I guess is my point-no wait that's not it-serving ourselves martinis? I have to go and think of a better segue or tie in for my next blog-and allow myself to have written one that is less than perfect-there's that love of self again.
Be good to your waiters and waitresses as they've been good to you.
D
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Three Musketeers-four if you count D'Artagnan
I thought I'd take a minute of time to comment on something with a less critical eye and name something for which I am truly grateful-friendships. Male friendships in particular. More specifically I want to tell you about three friends who recently showed me love and support in a very real way.
These three friends made the drive to rural West Virginia to attend my dad's visitation. It was roughly six hours for two of them (Marshall Lively and David Frazier. It was a two hour drive for the third Joel Trinidad a.k.a. J.D.). While they are not my only close friends-their gesture of love during this time of need was to me an amazing gift of love and care. I've been friends with Dave and Marshall for right at 30 years and Joel for 18 years. Joel was the one who labeled us as the Musketeers.
The masterpiece by Dumas described three men who served as guards among the royalty of France (Athos, Porthos, and Aramis) as well as a fourth swordsman (D'Artagnan). They were swashbucklers and womanizers and carousers. My three friends and I have lived lives that when we were younger were glimpses of such adventures (in our own minds at least). The closeness of the four of us though is analogous to the group in the classic tale.
Guy friendships are often thwarted by egos, insecurity, and homophobia. The classic machismo of yesteryear shows itself still-but a subtle shift has taken place and now allows men to show affection and be open about feelings with one another. This of course isn't true across the entire gender-but the evolution thankfully has affected some.
Me being closer to forty than thirty certainly has something to do with a willingness to say "I love you" to male friends without having to add the word "man" at the end. I think we often feel like we have to qualify the statement and to make it more acceptable-like the Bud Light Commercials from a few years ago "I love you man"-or the excellent movie by the same title that was in theaters several months ago I Love You Man.
These guys are people I feel at home sharing that I love them though and for that I thank God. It is a blessing to have that sort of connection with people. These guys are not related by blood but are related by love, time, and humor among other things.
They became the presence of the Living Christ for me-not to say that they can't be jerks (like all of us can)-but their actions spoke the message God wants to remind us of continually "You are NOT alone. I am with you." They surrounded me with their love-and continue to do so. God can and does feed our spirits and helps heal them through the people we love and live with-and that is the power of the Holy Spirit at work. The Holy Spirit lives in relationships-working to redeem the imperfections and giving us strength when we feel as though we are broken and beaten. The Holy Spirit helps us too when we feel as though we're so frustrated that we want to break and beat the person with whom we're in relationship. No matter the case-God is at work in and around and through all of our relationships.
I got a good look at God's love last week in my long time friends coming to stand with me as I wept. For that I will be forever thankful.
So to David, Marshall, and Joel and all my friends who read this-I love you.......................................
man.
=-)
Dwight
These three friends made the drive to rural West Virginia to attend my dad's visitation. It was roughly six hours for two of them (Marshall Lively and David Frazier. It was a two hour drive for the third Joel Trinidad a.k.a. J.D.). While they are not my only close friends-their gesture of love during this time of need was to me an amazing gift of love and care. I've been friends with Dave and Marshall for right at 30 years and Joel for 18 years. Joel was the one who labeled us as the Musketeers.
The masterpiece by Dumas described three men who served as guards among the royalty of France (Athos, Porthos, and Aramis) as well as a fourth swordsman (D'Artagnan). They were swashbucklers and womanizers and carousers. My three friends and I have lived lives that when we were younger were glimpses of such adventures (in our own minds at least). The closeness of the four of us though is analogous to the group in the classic tale.
Guy friendships are often thwarted by egos, insecurity, and homophobia. The classic machismo of yesteryear shows itself still-but a subtle shift has taken place and now allows men to show affection and be open about feelings with one another. This of course isn't true across the entire gender-but the evolution thankfully has affected some.
Me being closer to forty than thirty certainly has something to do with a willingness to say "I love you" to male friends without having to add the word "man" at the end. I think we often feel like we have to qualify the statement and to make it more acceptable-like the Bud Light Commercials from a few years ago "I love you man"-or the excellent movie by the same title that was in theaters several months ago I Love You Man.
These guys are people I feel at home sharing that I love them though and for that I thank God. It is a blessing to have that sort of connection with people. These guys are not related by blood but are related by love, time, and humor among other things.
They became the presence of the Living Christ for me-not to say that they can't be jerks (like all of us can)-but their actions spoke the message God wants to remind us of continually "You are NOT alone. I am with you." They surrounded me with their love-and continue to do so. God can and does feed our spirits and helps heal them through the people we love and live with-and that is the power of the Holy Spirit at work. The Holy Spirit lives in relationships-working to redeem the imperfections and giving us strength when we feel as though we are broken and beaten. The Holy Spirit helps us too when we feel as though we're so frustrated that we want to break and beat the person with whom we're in relationship. No matter the case-God is at work in and around and through all of our relationships.
I got a good look at God's love last week in my long time friends coming to stand with me as I wept. For that I will be forever thankful.
So to David, Marshall, and Joel and all my friends who read this-I love you.......................................
man.
=-)
Dwight
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Fathers's Day.
This past week I had the sad occasion of my Dad's funeral. The visitation/wake was Wednesday night and the funeral was Thursday afternoon.
Dad was a twenty year veteran-the first four years of his military career were with the United States Air Force. The next 16 were with the United States Navy. He was an "Airdale"-a plane mechanic on an aircraft carrier-the U.S.S. Bonham Richard I believe.
I had some special friends who traveled over six hours to be with me at his wake. Marshall Lively, Joel Trinidad, and David Frazier along with Dave's father John Frazier. It felt good to have my friends of 30 years (18 in Joel's case) by my side as I along with my family grieved dad's death.
It was a good service with an old time revival preacher-Diamond Willis. His name was Diamond honest to God. He was Pentecostal and the worship was lively.
I'll miss dad and wish I could phone him today to wish him Happy Father's Day-but he knows my love along with my sisters' love because of his enduring presence of spirit in union with God's Holy Spirit.
I pray that if you're a dad, of if your dad is still living that you get to tell him how much you love him-or that your kids tell you how much they love you.
My dad taught me to laugh at the absurdity of life. We were frequently watching farce comedies like the Three Stooges, or things like Don Knotts on the Andy Griffith show or in the movie with "Mr. Chicken" in the title. The ghosts and Mr. Chicken maybe.
One of dad's favorite sayings still makes me laugh to this day. "Her teeth we like the stars...they came out at night." I love it.
Dad was far from perfect-as am I. We had our arguments and major disagreements. Time had separated us from one another as well as my parents' divorce. But dad was always good to reach out to me even if I wasn't reaching out to him-he visited me during seminary, he called me frequently, and especially over the last ten or so years would say "You'll never know how much I love you. I'm so proud of you son."
Those words hold life. The live in my heart and mind. I hope you have someone in your life who tells you how much you are loved. God says these words to you even if you have no one physically present to say to you such words of affirmation and encouragement. God says "I love you and I'm proud of you."
Dad's words remind me of God's words to Jesus-"You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." That saying holds true of daughters as well-no gender specific love from God. All of us are God's children and as Scripture calls us in Colossians I believe we are "Joint heirs with Christ". This means we inherit the riches of Grace in our lives and the relationships that are shaped by Grace as well. So we can thank our heavenly Father today for loving us so much and for being proud of who we are-and also who we can become because of the transformative power of the Grace of God through Jesus Christ.
So Happy Father's day to all of us-the children of the Creator God also called our Father in Heaven, hallowed be God's name, God's kingdom come, God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, God give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors for truly yours is the power and the glory and the power forever. Amen.
Dad was a twenty year veteran-the first four years of his military career were with the United States Air Force. The next 16 were with the United States Navy. He was an "Airdale"-a plane mechanic on an aircraft carrier-the U.S.S. Bonham Richard I believe.
I had some special friends who traveled over six hours to be with me at his wake. Marshall Lively, Joel Trinidad, and David Frazier along with Dave's father John Frazier. It felt good to have my friends of 30 years (18 in Joel's case) by my side as I along with my family grieved dad's death.
It was a good service with an old time revival preacher-Diamond Willis. His name was Diamond honest to God. He was Pentecostal and the worship was lively.
I'll miss dad and wish I could phone him today to wish him Happy Father's Day-but he knows my love along with my sisters' love because of his enduring presence of spirit in union with God's Holy Spirit.
I pray that if you're a dad, of if your dad is still living that you get to tell him how much you love him-or that your kids tell you how much they love you.
My dad taught me to laugh at the absurdity of life. We were frequently watching farce comedies like the Three Stooges, or things like Don Knotts on the Andy Griffith show or in the movie with "Mr. Chicken" in the title. The ghosts and Mr. Chicken maybe.
One of dad's favorite sayings still makes me laugh to this day. "Her teeth we like the stars...they came out at night." I love it.
Dad was far from perfect-as am I. We had our arguments and major disagreements. Time had separated us from one another as well as my parents' divorce. But dad was always good to reach out to me even if I wasn't reaching out to him-he visited me during seminary, he called me frequently, and especially over the last ten or so years would say "You'll never know how much I love you. I'm so proud of you son."
Those words hold life. The live in my heart and mind. I hope you have someone in your life who tells you how much you are loved. God says these words to you even if you have no one physically present to say to you such words of affirmation and encouragement. God says "I love you and I'm proud of you."
Dad's words remind me of God's words to Jesus-"You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." That saying holds true of daughters as well-no gender specific love from God. All of us are God's children and as Scripture calls us in Colossians I believe we are "Joint heirs with Christ". This means we inherit the riches of Grace in our lives and the relationships that are shaped by Grace as well. So we can thank our heavenly Father today for loving us so much and for being proud of who we are-and also who we can become because of the transformative power of the Grace of God through Jesus Christ.
So Happy Father's day to all of us-the children of the Creator God also called our Father in Heaven, hallowed be God's name, God's kingdom come, God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, God give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors for truly yours is the power and the glory and the power forever. Amen.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Gratitude
Having a truck nearly crush you gives you a different perspective on life. It mixes a serious sense of being grateful for even being able to walk and breathe with an underlying uneasiness that comes along with having been through a violent collision.
I imagine I'll be working on both in therapy for days to come. And surely I will be on the other side of this event better equipped and having been transformed.
For now-I'm sore and shaky. And grateful.
My left shoulder may have a tear in the rotator cuff. The alternatives of being severely maimed or dead are worse-so I'll take it and smile.
The humor I've found at this point is in imagining that I became like one of the Wonder Twins in the old Justice League cartoons from the seventies. In the moments before the collision God said on my behalf "Form of.......silly putty." Then I bounced around the cabin of the car until it came to rest.
Instead of newsprint that rubbed off on the silly putty when you put it onto the funny papers-the impression of Grace was left upon me. I don't necessarily ascribe to theology that names "everything happening for a reason", or "God doesn't give us more than we can handle". I think those are not the most helpful approach to any event.
Instead I think of John chapter 9 where Jesus and his disciples encounter a man who had been blind from birth. The disciples are in a hurry to answer the question "Why?". They ask Jesus-"Who sinned? This man or his parents that he should be born blind?" Why is he blind in other words.
Jesus answered that this man had been born blind so that God might be glorified. Then he proceeds to spit in the dirt to make mud, rubs it on the mans eyes and he is then able to see. So the healing of the man is a response not to "Why?" so much as it is an answer to the question "Now what?" as in we see that this man is hurting and disabled-now what are we going to do about it? The answer Jesus would seem to suggest in the text is that we respond to the person in need to glorify God and don't ask why-we just seek to fill the need that a person exhibits given what we have at hand to do so.
So I ask this question of myself-one I alluded to in my last blog-Now what? What will I be able to do in response to this event? How will I be able to do it? How might I glorify God through this experience? I know I've already been given opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with several people as a result. Would I have done so otherwise? Maybe in a different way but probably I would have.
So even as I show signs of anxiety when in the car, and even as my shoulder aches-I say to God. Thank you Jesus. And ask God "Will you please help me to bring you glory-and shape this silly putty of a man into a servant in whom you can be well pleased? Thanks."
Grace to you and Peace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Dwight
I imagine I'll be working on both in therapy for days to come. And surely I will be on the other side of this event better equipped and having been transformed.
For now-I'm sore and shaky. And grateful.
My left shoulder may have a tear in the rotator cuff. The alternatives of being severely maimed or dead are worse-so I'll take it and smile.
The humor I've found at this point is in imagining that I became like one of the Wonder Twins in the old Justice League cartoons from the seventies. In the moments before the collision God said on my behalf "Form of.......silly putty." Then I bounced around the cabin of the car until it came to rest.
Instead of newsprint that rubbed off on the silly putty when you put it onto the funny papers-the impression of Grace was left upon me. I don't necessarily ascribe to theology that names "everything happening for a reason", or "God doesn't give us more than we can handle". I think those are not the most helpful approach to any event.
Instead I think of John chapter 9 where Jesus and his disciples encounter a man who had been blind from birth. The disciples are in a hurry to answer the question "Why?". They ask Jesus-"Who sinned? This man or his parents that he should be born blind?" Why is he blind in other words.
Jesus answered that this man had been born blind so that God might be glorified. Then he proceeds to spit in the dirt to make mud, rubs it on the mans eyes and he is then able to see. So the healing of the man is a response not to "Why?" so much as it is an answer to the question "Now what?" as in we see that this man is hurting and disabled-now what are we going to do about it? The answer Jesus would seem to suggest in the text is that we respond to the person in need to glorify God and don't ask why-we just seek to fill the need that a person exhibits given what we have at hand to do so.
So I ask this question of myself-one I alluded to in my last blog-Now what? What will I be able to do in response to this event? How will I be able to do it? How might I glorify God through this experience? I know I've already been given opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with several people as a result. Would I have done so otherwise? Maybe in a different way but probably I would have.
So even as I show signs of anxiety when in the car, and even as my shoulder aches-I say to God. Thank you Jesus. And ask God "Will you please help me to bring you glory-and shape this silly putty of a man into a servant in whom you can be well pleased? Thanks."
Grace to you and Peace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Dwight
Friday, June 5, 2009
Spared
I was returning home to Springfield OH heading north on I-65. I was about 60 miles south of Louisville Kentucky near a town called Horse Cave Kentucky.
My car hydroplaned after some standing water on the interstate lifted me into the median. The car turned around 180 degrees and slid into the median and then into oncoming southbound I-65 traffic where I was hit by a semi seconds later. The impact sent me back into the median where the car came to rest and where I miraculously (I believe) walked away from the wreck. The pictures demonstrate the extent of damage. Call it luck or blessed (which I call it) but whatever you call it I am grateful to God. I was wearing my seat belt and both airbags deployed.
The tractor trailer truck that struck me ended up in the median about fifty yards from me. An additional tractor trailer drove off the side of the road to land on its side just over the guard rail. None of the drivers were injured. The car is as you can see was crushed. It used to be a 2003 Honda Civic.
The injuries I received are not commiserate with the damage to the car thankfully. It was totaled-I was not. For that I am grateful.
In looking at the car you may not believe that a person could have survived.
My thoughts are that it is difficult to address a question like "Why did God spare me and not the innocent child who has suffered harm? Or why me and not someone else?" That question is not helpful or answerable. I can only say that I survived and that I plan to continue ministry with a renewed gratitude.
I'm sore and recovering-the alternative is much less appealing.
I hope God can help you who read this and me find a sense of gratitude whether it comes from something dramatic or overwhelming or something as taken for granted as a smile from someone. I count myself blessed and lucky, and grateful to be among the living.
I pray that you find your gratitude-and that you are able to do so easily each day.
The love of God is present for you and for me and all of humanity-and it always will be-in life and in death we belong to God. Know you are precious in God's sight and that you are loved.
Grace,
Dwight
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Here comes de judge
Obama has presented Sonia Sotomayor as a Supreme Court Justice Nominee and has already met with lots of criticism. As some of my family members who would describe themselves as "conservative" like to say "The way to control the government is to control the Supreme Court". So I think that having someone who doesn't blame global warming on the AIDS quilt is threatening to those who find themselves on the right side of the political spectrum.
The argument that's taking place helped me begin to think once again about whether there actually is a middle ground. Not just in politics but in general. In terms of our faith and politics we often make issues black and white-as though to have any in between, or any gray areas is somehow being lukewarm, or wishy washy, or even worse-demonic.
Because I think God gave us brains as well as hearts (spiritually and literally) I believe to find ourselves in places without certainty, and without proof is precisely where we encounter our Christian faith. When we have to think to apply that which has been presented to us as the gospel we are living a Christian life. Sadly though just as in politics with Supreme Court Nominees we find ourselves wanting to classify people based on whether we think "They" are on "Our" side. If not are "they" our enemy so we can determine how it is we're supposed to relate to "them". I did it myself in my comments about some of my family above. It's unavoidable really.
It's easier and even more pleasurable to judge others than it is to take the time to relate to them and try to find common ground.
For instance if I had my way I'd bring back Smiting. In fact I've invented a product called the Smite-a-matic 3000. It's a tool Christians can use to punish those with whom they disagree and who they deem is in need of repentance. It comes with several attachments: a patented leather stripped cat-a-nine tails with fine stainless steel shards on each strip, A Bible shaped mallet for ending arguments quickly, and of course a Revelation themed White Horse with an un-named rider with sword attachment jutting out of his mouth.
It can be conveniently used when we encounter a fellow Christian in a disagreement over a theological point-BOOM Smite-a-Matic ends the argument decisively. If we want to thwart a difficult discussion say about same sex marriage and just can't handle the thought that God loves all people and would bless a gay couple-THWACK! Argument over.
Finally if we find that beating up ourselves is our favorite use of self righteous vengeance there is a special self flagellation attachment. It's for those who feel as though mercy from God just isn't enough to cover over their particular dirtiest sins and therefore require punishment-the Smite-A-Matic calms that guilt ridden void with as little as two applications.
If only I could use this on the politicians who are caricatures of themselves. Sometimes I think they are like Pro Wrestlers shouting the familiar arguments taking on the role of villain or hero depending on where you place your particular political leanings. All the while as the show rages on we miss out on the complicated nature of real life that takes place in between the extremes.
If you like me are weary of it-call now-1-888-SMITE-EM. or visit our website at www.vengeanceismine.com Operators are standing by.
All major credit cards are accepted.
D
The argument that's taking place helped me begin to think once again about whether there actually is a middle ground. Not just in politics but in general. In terms of our faith and politics we often make issues black and white-as though to have any in between, or any gray areas is somehow being lukewarm, or wishy washy, or even worse-demonic.
Because I think God gave us brains as well as hearts (spiritually and literally) I believe to find ourselves in places without certainty, and without proof is precisely where we encounter our Christian faith. When we have to think to apply that which has been presented to us as the gospel we are living a Christian life. Sadly though just as in politics with Supreme Court Nominees we find ourselves wanting to classify people based on whether we think "They" are on "Our" side. If not are "they" our enemy so we can determine how it is we're supposed to relate to "them". I did it myself in my comments about some of my family above. It's unavoidable really.
It's easier and even more pleasurable to judge others than it is to take the time to relate to them and try to find common ground.
For instance if I had my way I'd bring back Smiting. In fact I've invented a product called the Smite-a-matic 3000. It's a tool Christians can use to punish those with whom they disagree and who they deem is in need of repentance. It comes with several attachments: a patented leather stripped cat-a-nine tails with fine stainless steel shards on each strip, A Bible shaped mallet for ending arguments quickly, and of course a Revelation themed White Horse with an un-named rider with sword attachment jutting out of his mouth.
It can be conveniently used when we encounter a fellow Christian in a disagreement over a theological point-BOOM Smite-a-Matic ends the argument decisively. If we want to thwart a difficult discussion say about same sex marriage and just can't handle the thought that God loves all people and would bless a gay couple-THWACK! Argument over.
Finally if we find that beating up ourselves is our favorite use of self righteous vengeance there is a special self flagellation attachment. It's for those who feel as though mercy from God just isn't enough to cover over their particular dirtiest sins and therefore require punishment-the Smite-A-Matic calms that guilt ridden void with as little as two applications.
If only I could use this on the politicians who are caricatures of themselves. Sometimes I think they are like Pro Wrestlers shouting the familiar arguments taking on the role of villain or hero depending on where you place your particular political leanings. All the while as the show rages on we miss out on the complicated nature of real life that takes place in between the extremes.
If you like me are weary of it-call now-1-888-SMITE-EM. or visit our website at www.vengeanceismine.com Operators are standing by.
All major credit cards are accepted.
D
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
American Idol (atry)
We like to put things, people, possessions, anything that is not imbued with life or capable of relationship as the focus of our awareness (or our lack of awareness as the case may be). One focus we place front and center is television programming.
I confess too much of my time is spent huddled at the altar of satellite television and DVR of the programs I can't watch live. I count myself as chief among sinners in this form of self medication.
Twice a week for the past several months my oldest daughter and I have watched with fascination the show that has millions upon millions of folks glued to the TV-American Idol. We're waiting now for the final show of the season-to see who will be voted the next entertainer to emerge as the most beloved according to phone in votes.
The show is a juggernaut in terms of ratings and revenue. The formula works. Amateur entertainers vying to be the most loved and getting both instant and delayed gratification of their performance in the form of feedback from the judges and the voice of the viewers who spend hours texting, and phoning in votes.
I think there are often over 30 million who vote a night. The sheer volume of calls and votes makes me begin to think "I wonder what it would be like for 30 million people to all organize their energy to feed hungry people twice a week?". Or "What might happen if twice a week 10-60 million people gave a dollar to the same charitable organization-just one dollar? How many lives would be changed?" or "What if the time we spent on the couch consuming the ads, the entertainment, instead was dedicated to conversations with our family, working out, or cooking meals ahead?" My guilt at watching is apparent as you see.
I also think "I'm glad that after every sermon I deliver I don't have to stand up in the front of the church on Sundays and have four judges give me their honest opinions about what I've just said. I'm also glad that in the background I'd also hear the congregation cheering or jeering after the sermon." In some ways maybe that would be a good motivator to combat mediocre preaching. Have an Emcee to start the service "This is American Preacher". Maybe I could get a show together and sell it to the religious broadcasting networks with the permission of Simon Fuller.
I can hear the hip Urban judge saying "Yo dog, I was feelin' what you were sayin' about Jesus and his love for humanity-but I gotta tell ya in spots I was really bored with it." The glowing unconditional positive regard from the two glamorous women judges "You were AMAZING. The level of emotion you exhibit moves my soul and anyone who watches you preach who isn't moved there is something wrong with them." Finally the snotty English judge who would say "You know this is a competition and for me it seemed a little too karaoke-ish to me-like a group of friends sitting around in their basement doing a Bible study-not at all that entertaining really."
While the pressure or the direct accountability and publicity may heighten the level of preaching and the time spent preparing what how we're going to present the gospel on Sunday mornings, we have to know that preaching is not a competitive sport. Christianity isn't a competitive sport. Too often the Christian faith shows itself to be about judging who is "the best" Christian. We do this so that we can put ourselves over and above the next person thinking "I am more faithful than THEM because I do ________________." (fill in the blank).
To engage in this behavior is to do what so often we preachers do-we begin to think that Christianity, or life in general is either MOSTLY about us, or even about ONLY us. Dr. Phil while a bit hokie sometimes has that phrase that helps us remember what is true for relationships of all sorts and is particularly important to remember as Christians "IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!" It's about Jesus. Jesus is to be our object of worship-our focus of adoration, and is one who doesn't make us stand on a stage to judge whether we're worthy to move on to the next round.
Jesus is one to join with us in singing, laughing, living, and loving without piling on unrealistic expectations and assigning value based on works. We are loved by, and saved by the Grace of Jesus Christ-something given by God because God chooses to love us. We don't have to try to be "good enough to be loved"-God has already loved us before a judgment can be made about us. In return we're asked to live a life shaped by the gratitude we have for the love God. This life is one marked by loving in return. So our actions or our "works" begin from the place of a grateful heart and mind-grateful for God's love and forgiveness. If we begin at that place then comparing our works with others begins to seem like what it is ludicrous and dare I say it-a form of idolatry.
Even in the midst of our guilty pleasures God is there with us to encourage us and teach us about our worth as it pertains to the immeasurable love God has for all of us. You and I are and each human being is a beloved child of God in whom God is well pleased.
That being said I hope Adam Lambert wins because he's way cool and is SO much better than Kris.
;-)
Pastor Dwight
I confess too much of my time is spent huddled at the altar of satellite television and DVR of the programs I can't watch live. I count myself as chief among sinners in this form of self medication.
Twice a week for the past several months my oldest daughter and I have watched with fascination the show that has millions upon millions of folks glued to the TV-American Idol. We're waiting now for the final show of the season-to see who will be voted the next entertainer to emerge as the most beloved according to phone in votes.
The show is a juggernaut in terms of ratings and revenue. The formula works. Amateur entertainers vying to be the most loved and getting both instant and delayed gratification of their performance in the form of feedback from the judges and the voice of the viewers who spend hours texting, and phoning in votes.
I think there are often over 30 million who vote a night. The sheer volume of calls and votes makes me begin to think "I wonder what it would be like for 30 million people to all organize their energy to feed hungry people twice a week?". Or "What might happen if twice a week 10-60 million people gave a dollar to the same charitable organization-just one dollar? How many lives would be changed?" or "What if the time we spent on the couch consuming the ads, the entertainment, instead was dedicated to conversations with our family, working out, or cooking meals ahead?" My guilt at watching is apparent as you see.
I also think "I'm glad that after every sermon I deliver I don't have to stand up in the front of the church on Sundays and have four judges give me their honest opinions about what I've just said. I'm also glad that in the background I'd also hear the congregation cheering or jeering after the sermon." In some ways maybe that would be a good motivator to combat mediocre preaching. Have an Emcee to start the service "This is American Preacher". Maybe I could get a show together and sell it to the religious broadcasting networks with the permission of Simon Fuller.
I can hear the hip Urban judge saying "Yo dog, I was feelin' what you were sayin' about Jesus and his love for humanity-but I gotta tell ya in spots I was really bored with it." The glowing unconditional positive regard from the two glamorous women judges "You were AMAZING. The level of emotion you exhibit moves my soul and anyone who watches you preach who isn't moved there is something wrong with them." Finally the snotty English judge who would say "You know this is a competition and for me it seemed a little too karaoke-ish to me-like a group of friends sitting around in their basement doing a Bible study-not at all that entertaining really."
While the pressure or the direct accountability and publicity may heighten the level of preaching and the time spent preparing what how we're going to present the gospel on Sunday mornings, we have to know that preaching is not a competitive sport. Christianity isn't a competitive sport. Too often the Christian faith shows itself to be about judging who is "the best" Christian. We do this so that we can put ourselves over and above the next person thinking "I am more faithful than THEM because I do ________________." (fill in the blank).
To engage in this behavior is to do what so often we preachers do-we begin to think that Christianity, or life in general is either MOSTLY about us, or even about ONLY us. Dr. Phil while a bit hokie sometimes has that phrase that helps us remember what is true for relationships of all sorts and is particularly important to remember as Christians "IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!" It's about Jesus. Jesus is to be our object of worship-our focus of adoration, and is one who doesn't make us stand on a stage to judge whether we're worthy to move on to the next round.
Jesus is one to join with us in singing, laughing, living, and loving without piling on unrealistic expectations and assigning value based on works. We are loved by, and saved by the Grace of Jesus Christ-something given by God because God chooses to love us. We don't have to try to be "good enough to be loved"-God has already loved us before a judgment can be made about us. In return we're asked to live a life shaped by the gratitude we have for the love God. This life is one marked by loving in return. So our actions or our "works" begin from the place of a grateful heart and mind-grateful for God's love and forgiveness. If we begin at that place then comparing our works with others begins to seem like what it is ludicrous and dare I say it-a form of idolatry.
Even in the midst of our guilty pleasures God is there with us to encourage us and teach us about our worth as it pertains to the immeasurable love God has for all of us. You and I are and each human being is a beloved child of God in whom God is well pleased.
That being said I hope Adam Lambert wins because he's way cool and is SO much better than Kris.
;-)
Pastor Dwight
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Yahoo Mountain Dew!
YAHOO MOUNTAIN DEW! My Dad would shout this loudly anytime we were close to home on our way back from a trip.
See dad and mom used to own a produce store in Bluefield WV called Gateway Country Store and Produce. I often think it would've been cool for Gateway Computers to have to pay my parents for the name Gateway-it was after all a corporation. But that's off topic.
The store was like a min-Kroger that mated with a Cracker Barrel-before there was a Cracker Barrel. They went under in 1985 during the last "economic downturn" during the 80's.
Dad drove a truck to go get produce from all over the south east. As a little boy I often went with him. The truck was a white International Harvester with a 16ft bed. The truck kind not the kind you sleep in.
We'd go to Mt. Airy and Hillsville North Carolina to pick up loads of various kinds of produce. Then we'd haul it back over the mountains back to the market to sell it.
We'd travel to the docks at wholesale places in Winston Salem North Carolina where I would get to ride on these cool automatic palate jacks while they loaded our truck.
We'd go to the farmer's market just outside of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football stadium. It was there that I learned to throw watermelons. We loaded them from the back of an open trailer attached to a semi and formed a line to throw them from the back of that truck to the back of our truck. It was hot, dirty, and itchy work. I loved it. I was thirteen and honestly thought that being part of the line of throwers was a right of passage into manhood. Dad was proud of me when that happened too. Good memory.
We'd travel to Georgia to get peaches right from the orchard, and Virginia to get Apples from the orchards, and strawberries from Florida.
I remember being small enough to stand up on the seat in the old International Harvester and my head touched the ceiling of the cab. I remember the smell of the vinyl seat and the faint hint of axle grease mixed in with my dad's Old Spice and coffee.
We'd be traveling for sometimes eight hours at a time back from these different states. When we'd get through the tunnel at East River Mountain we could feel the cooler air of "Nature's air conditioned City-Bluefield West Virginia" and dad would shout and I would shout with him YAHOO MOUNTAIN DEW WE'RE ALMOST HOME!"
My dad's almost home now. His spiritual home. He's dying in a nursing home. I can't help but smile as I imagine him feeling the grace of Jesus enfolding him with the familiarity of the mountains and the comforting presence of the One who created all of life. I imagine Jesus saying "Come on in Bud, I've prepared a place for you," and dad saying YAHOO! MOUNTAIN DEW!
Dwight
See dad and mom used to own a produce store in Bluefield WV called Gateway Country Store and Produce. I often think it would've been cool for Gateway Computers to have to pay my parents for the name Gateway-it was after all a corporation. But that's off topic.
The store was like a min-Kroger that mated with a Cracker Barrel-before there was a Cracker Barrel. They went under in 1985 during the last "economic downturn" during the 80's.
Dad drove a truck to go get produce from all over the south east. As a little boy I often went with him. The truck was a white International Harvester with a 16ft bed. The truck kind not the kind you sleep in.
We'd go to Mt. Airy and Hillsville North Carolina to pick up loads of various kinds of produce. Then we'd haul it back over the mountains back to the market to sell it.
We'd travel to the docks at wholesale places in Winston Salem North Carolina where I would get to ride on these cool automatic palate jacks while they loaded our truck.
We'd go to the farmer's market just outside of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football stadium. It was there that I learned to throw watermelons. We loaded them from the back of an open trailer attached to a semi and formed a line to throw them from the back of that truck to the back of our truck. It was hot, dirty, and itchy work. I loved it. I was thirteen and honestly thought that being part of the line of throwers was a right of passage into manhood. Dad was proud of me when that happened too. Good memory.
We'd travel to Georgia to get peaches right from the orchard, and Virginia to get Apples from the orchards, and strawberries from Florida.
I remember being small enough to stand up on the seat in the old International Harvester and my head touched the ceiling of the cab. I remember the smell of the vinyl seat and the faint hint of axle grease mixed in with my dad's Old Spice and coffee.
We'd be traveling for sometimes eight hours at a time back from these different states. When we'd get through the tunnel at East River Mountain we could feel the cooler air of "Nature's air conditioned City-Bluefield West Virginia" and dad would shout and I would shout with him YAHOO MOUNTAIN DEW WE'RE ALMOST HOME!"
My dad's almost home now. His spiritual home. He's dying in a nursing home. I can't help but smile as I imagine him feeling the grace of Jesus enfolding him with the familiarity of the mountains and the comforting presence of the One who created all of life. I imagine Jesus saying "Come on in Bud, I've prepared a place for you," and dad saying YAHOO! MOUNTAIN DEW!
Dwight
Monday, May 4, 2009
It's been a long time since I rock and roll
It stinks that Cadillac took that song from Zepplin-but I guess everything is becoming a commercial. See Jennifer's blog at http://jennfrancesca.blogspot.com on her January 22, 2009 post to read about her same concern of advertisers high jacking classic songs. I think for me the Taco Bell taking "I'll Stop the world and melt with you." is one of the most upsetting. Probably because I find myself craving tacos whenever I'm listening to the 80's station on Sirius satellite radio.
Advertising seems so out of hand.
I'm grateful it hasn't crept into worship. Wouldn't it be awkward if during the prayer of confession we had as part of the unison prayer:
"...forgive us we pray for all of our sins of things we've done and left undone. This prayer brought to you by Franklin Covey who helps you plan ahead and get more done in less time-that's Franklin Covey."
or even worse how about: "Our Father who art in Heaven...speaking of heaven have you tried the new Godiva chocolate truffles available now at Godiva.com?"
or: "The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God-not only for the Lord's word but for the word you can trust in car insurance-Geico".
Call to worship
"This is the day that the Lord has made
Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Glad brings you quality home storage and disposal products as well as portability for your foodstuffs."
I think you get the point.
Just to be clear if I can interest anyone I am selling ad space on my bald spot. Rogaine would seem the obvious choice-HOWEVER if it was a working product then that would actually be counter-intuitive. So bald spot advertising-maybe the other choice for advertising on bald spots would be "Corvette-it's what makes you able to face your mortality." but the spots not that big yet-so maybe just "Corvette" within a Chevy Logo would be enough.
I think in order to drive a Corvette though you also have to grow a mustache-that's what Colin Cowherd said on his radio show-The Herd on ESPN radio.
By the way-this blog that's sort of about advertisement has made reference to many different products and services that will show up in searches on Google thus will hopefully promote this blog indirectly. We're all part of the madness...resistance is futile.
I'm so ashamed. Maybe there's a pharmaceutical product we can all use called "Shameitol. Relieves those pesky feelings self flagellation brought on by years of religious upbringing."
Dwight
Advertising seems so out of hand.
I'm grateful it hasn't crept into worship. Wouldn't it be awkward if during the prayer of confession we had as part of the unison prayer:
"...forgive us we pray for all of our sins of things we've done and left undone. This prayer brought to you by Franklin Covey who helps you plan ahead and get more done in less time-that's Franklin Covey."
or even worse how about: "Our Father who art in Heaven...speaking of heaven have you tried the new Godiva chocolate truffles available now at Godiva.com?"
or: "The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God-not only for the Lord's word but for the word you can trust in car insurance-Geico".
Call to worship
"This is the day that the Lord has made
Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Glad brings you quality home storage and disposal products as well as portability for your foodstuffs."
I think you get the point.
Just to be clear if I can interest anyone I am selling ad space on my bald spot. Rogaine would seem the obvious choice-HOWEVER if it was a working product then that would actually be counter-intuitive. So bald spot advertising-maybe the other choice for advertising on bald spots would be "Corvette-it's what makes you able to face your mortality." but the spots not that big yet-so maybe just "Corvette" within a Chevy Logo would be enough.
I think in order to drive a Corvette though you also have to grow a mustache-that's what Colin Cowherd said on his radio show-The Herd on ESPN radio.
By the way-this blog that's sort of about advertisement has made reference to many different products and services that will show up in searches on Google thus will hopefully promote this blog indirectly. We're all part of the madness...resistance is futile.
I'm so ashamed. Maybe there's a pharmaceutical product we can all use called "Shameitol. Relieves those pesky feelings self flagellation brought on by years of religious upbringing."
Dwight
Monday, January 19, 2009
Preacher perks
I wanted to post something about how thankful I am for my children being the beneficiaries of so much generosity. One perk of being a minister (there are many) is that folks within the congregation sometimes give you clothing for your children and even to you. Maybe there's a mixed message of "Hey we think you dress poorly-here put on this pair of slacks instead." But I doubt it.
Maybe it is a more common practice (clothes sharing) than I know. Maybe it happens to anyone who has friends with kids just a bit older than yours. It is sure something for which I am thankful.
The clothes are often second hand, but they always have a good deal of wear in them and at least for now my daughters love it and don't complain. Maybe when they're teens this will change-but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
I can count the number of times we've gone to buy clothes other than shoes for our girls on one hand. As I implied a few sentences ago we've been blessed to know some families that have girls just a bit older than ours and they've shared with us. I can't help but think that this practice would not have been as useful had we had two sons. A boy walking around in a pair of jellies and a summer dress would've raised more than a few eyebrows.
Another good thing about clothes sharing is that sometimes you find money hidden in the pockets of the clothes-like this one time we found $10,000 in unmarked bills in a pair of jeans stuffed into the pocket in a neat stack of hundreds. Of course we did the right thing...tithed on it and promptly paid off our car. That never happened-but it COULD right?
Often I take it for granted-and I want to say thank you publicly (if you can call a blog read by on average one person a week public).
There are other perks of being a preacher:
1) Get out of hell free card.
2) People sometimes think you have influence over the weather. Often when we have a sunny day on the day of a church picnic-the people say "Thank you for praying that we would have good weather and thank God for providing it." More often when we have rain or inclement weather they say "Can't you do something about this?" I wish I had power over the weather-I'd make it warmer than -5 outside and it would rain gumdrops and s'mores every third Tuesday.
3)People often feed you-even if you don't want to be fed this can be abused. But people are thoughtful of you in this way and its cool sometimes. Sometimes people send home LOTS of food for you and your family-one just has to be careful not to balloon up too much so you don't float away in the baptismal font.
Of course being a Presbyterian our fonts are about the size of a large salad bowl so if you could float in that you likely have problems bigger than a weight issue-like you've been struck by a nefarious shrink ray or something. Of course that's more rare these days than it used to be-but it certainly happened in a Disney movie from the nineties.
4) People like to tell you how good your sermon was-even if it wasn't they often tell you it was. It's a good self esteem boost to receive compliments even when they're not due. It's too bad my wife hasn't picked up on this trait. (insert rim shot here) My favorite is when you see the person sleep throughout the entire worship service and they brag on you profusely at the door. I can't blame them. Some of the most restful sleep I've ever gotten has been in the library and during church (on days when I was younger and not preaching).
I'm sure there are many more to list-but that's all for now. In short I'm thankful to God and to God's people for demonstrating their love for us in these ways. It's a gift.
Much Grace to you and yours,
Dwight
Maybe it is a more common practice (clothes sharing) than I know. Maybe it happens to anyone who has friends with kids just a bit older than yours. It is sure something for which I am thankful.
The clothes are often second hand, but they always have a good deal of wear in them and at least for now my daughters love it and don't complain. Maybe when they're teens this will change-but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
I can count the number of times we've gone to buy clothes other than shoes for our girls on one hand. As I implied a few sentences ago we've been blessed to know some families that have girls just a bit older than ours and they've shared with us. I can't help but think that this practice would not have been as useful had we had two sons. A boy walking around in a pair of jellies and a summer dress would've raised more than a few eyebrows.
Another good thing about clothes sharing is that sometimes you find money hidden in the pockets of the clothes-like this one time we found $10,000 in unmarked bills in a pair of jeans stuffed into the pocket in a neat stack of hundreds. Of course we did the right thing...tithed on it and promptly paid off our car. That never happened-but it COULD right?
Often I take it for granted-and I want to say thank you publicly (if you can call a blog read by on average one person a week public).
There are other perks of being a preacher:
1) Get out of hell free card.
2) People sometimes think you have influence over the weather. Often when we have a sunny day on the day of a church picnic-the people say "Thank you for praying that we would have good weather and thank God for providing it." More often when we have rain or inclement weather they say "Can't you do something about this?" I wish I had power over the weather-I'd make it warmer than -5 outside and it would rain gumdrops and s'mores every third Tuesday.
3)People often feed you-even if you don't want to be fed this can be abused. But people are thoughtful of you in this way and its cool sometimes. Sometimes people send home LOTS of food for you and your family-one just has to be careful not to balloon up too much so you don't float away in the baptismal font.
Of course being a Presbyterian our fonts are about the size of a large salad bowl so if you could float in that you likely have problems bigger than a weight issue-like you've been struck by a nefarious shrink ray or something. Of course that's more rare these days than it used to be-but it certainly happened in a Disney movie from the nineties.
4) People like to tell you how good your sermon was-even if it wasn't they often tell you it was. It's a good self esteem boost to receive compliments even when they're not due. It's too bad my wife hasn't picked up on this trait. (insert rim shot here) My favorite is when you see the person sleep throughout the entire worship service and they brag on you profusely at the door. I can't blame them. Some of the most restful sleep I've ever gotten has been in the library and during church (on days when I was younger and not preaching).
I'm sure there are many more to list-but that's all for now. In short I'm thankful to God and to God's people for demonstrating their love for us in these ways. It's a gift.
Much Grace to you and yours,
Dwight
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Nothing funny
Some concepts I use during my standup-the somewhat darker humor that creeps in on "bad days."
It's hard being a minister because people don't expect a minister to be a pessimist. I catch myself saying things like "Ministry would be so much easier if it weren't for all of the people I have to talk to." and "You know I really understand why God flooded the earth-it's too bad God promised not to do it again." It just doesn't work to talk that way.
It's weird being Christian and having to give out the forgiveness we've been given because we'd much rather see vengeance. In fact that's why I'm advocating that we bring back smiting. I've come up with an invention that's a smite button you can carry around with you. You can set it to any one of the plagues of Egypt in the book of Exodus.
When someone cuts you off in traffic-just break out your smite button and set it to "BOILS" and drive up beside the person and watch the fun begin!
Or if you happen to be from one of the denominations that doesn't approve of drinking and you find yourself at the liquor store and see someone from church and you'd rather avoid that confrontation-pull out your smite button and set it to "GNATS"-press the button and PRESTO! You've got a good distraction to make your getaway unseen into the parking lot.
Finally when you have a smart alec preacher who makes light of faith and sometimes looks at the negative in life-set your smite button to the "ANGEL OF DEATH" and see if he doesn't change his tune.
Is that too dark? It seems a bit dark. Well God loves us through the darkness and brings us the light of laughter-as Scripture reminds us that to God "even the dark is as bright as the noon day." I hope that knowing that makes you grin even if you're not into my thematic humor known as sacred macabre.
Laugh often and pray even more often so we can laugh more.
Grace to you and yours,
Dwight
It's hard being a minister because people don't expect a minister to be a pessimist. I catch myself saying things like "Ministry would be so much easier if it weren't for all of the people I have to talk to." and "You know I really understand why God flooded the earth-it's too bad God promised not to do it again." It just doesn't work to talk that way.
It's weird being Christian and having to give out the forgiveness we've been given because we'd much rather see vengeance. In fact that's why I'm advocating that we bring back smiting. I've come up with an invention that's a smite button you can carry around with you. You can set it to any one of the plagues of Egypt in the book of Exodus.
When someone cuts you off in traffic-just break out your smite button and set it to "BOILS" and drive up beside the person and watch the fun begin!
Or if you happen to be from one of the denominations that doesn't approve of drinking and you find yourself at the liquor store and see someone from church and you'd rather avoid that confrontation-pull out your smite button and set it to "GNATS"-press the button and PRESTO! You've got a good distraction to make your getaway unseen into the parking lot.
Finally when you have a smart alec preacher who makes light of faith and sometimes looks at the negative in life-set your smite button to the "ANGEL OF DEATH" and see if he doesn't change his tune.
Is that too dark? It seems a bit dark. Well God loves us through the darkness and brings us the light of laughter-as Scripture reminds us that to God "even the dark is as bright as the noon day." I hope that knowing that makes you grin even if you're not into my thematic humor known as sacred macabre.
Laugh often and pray even more often so we can laugh more.
Grace to you and yours,
Dwight
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Race Matters
There's a book by Cornell West by that same title. It's about racism and how it is still prevalent in our culture. It plays on the statement that people often say (particularly white people) "I don't see what the big deal is about the color of someone's skin-I consider myself color blind". Or something similar.
The book and I along with it though indicate that being color blind is not the solution to the complex problem of racism. Noting differences and learning about them as well as from them is a significant part of coming to terms with one's own racism. It is also a beginning for understanding some of the systems within our culture and our own thinking that promote racism.
For whites many of us believe that racism has ended-Obama's in the White House (you know there's something racist about it being called the white house right?) But just because the Civil Rights movement began in the sixties and got us integrated that it is enough and Obama won the presidency it doesn't mean we are in a "post racist" society. If you believe that then I invite you to reconsider.
Obama's election is definitely a stride towards progress. But just as we've come a long way, we've got a long way yet to go. It is amazing to have elected a mixed race person as President of the United States. However it is not by any means the end of racism.
It's the beginning of further struggle and growth. Whites in general (me included) often don't recognize the privilege we enjoy just by being white. Because we've owned nearly everything (by force and by oppression according to history) for so long-we begin to feel as though blacks or other minorities gaining "special" treatment through quotas, affirmative action, or any other form of program designed to help us along is an unfair practice.
Our worldview is skewed by the lack of awareness and honesty about how privileged we are and have been throughout the history of America. So much so that we may even get upset at the suggestion that more progress has to be made. One might here someone who is white say "Well they've got a black history month, they've got the White House, what else do they want?" Note the "they". What "they" want is what all of humanity wants-to be viewed as part of the "us" as well as valued for the differences we enjoy. Equal access, honest dialogue, and commitment to ongoing repentance of the sin of racism is a good start for all of us.
In fact the definition of racism incorporates the distribution of wealth. If whites own more corporations, more businesses, more companies hence more wealth overall then that puts us as a race in a position of power. Those who own have the power to oppress consciously or unconsciously. This context then offers me privilege not enjoyed by those not in power. That privilege and the structures that promote it are the definition of racism-one race having the ownership and power of wealth over other races.
So by virtue of being white-I am racist because of the power my race holds over other races. If you feel offended by that statement then it is an indication of the type of racism that I'm talking about that needs to change. We are often unable even to acknowledge the privilege we enjoy-even entertain the idea of that being white offers unequal access to goods, services, and power not enjoyed by others. So if we are unable even to THINK about the issue then there may be some place for us to grow and learn. God knows I need to keep learning and facing that within me that would remain silent and inactive in this struggle.
So I pray God gives us Grace to own up to our own racism and that we are able to take the insight we're given and use it to shape the future.
Grace to you and peace in this new year 2009.
Dwight
The book and I along with it though indicate that being color blind is not the solution to the complex problem of racism. Noting differences and learning about them as well as from them is a significant part of coming to terms with one's own racism. It is also a beginning for understanding some of the systems within our culture and our own thinking that promote racism.
For whites many of us believe that racism has ended-Obama's in the White House (you know there's something racist about it being called the white house right?) But just because the Civil Rights movement began in the sixties and got us integrated that it is enough and Obama won the presidency it doesn't mean we are in a "post racist" society. If you believe that then I invite you to reconsider.
Obama's election is definitely a stride towards progress. But just as we've come a long way, we've got a long way yet to go. It is amazing to have elected a mixed race person as President of the United States. However it is not by any means the end of racism.
It's the beginning of further struggle and growth. Whites in general (me included) often don't recognize the privilege we enjoy just by being white. Because we've owned nearly everything (by force and by oppression according to history) for so long-we begin to feel as though blacks or other minorities gaining "special" treatment through quotas, affirmative action, or any other form of program designed to help us along is an unfair practice.
Our worldview is skewed by the lack of awareness and honesty about how privileged we are and have been throughout the history of America. So much so that we may even get upset at the suggestion that more progress has to be made. One might here someone who is white say "Well they've got a black history month, they've got the White House, what else do they want?" Note the "they". What "they" want is what all of humanity wants-to be viewed as part of the "us" as well as valued for the differences we enjoy. Equal access, honest dialogue, and commitment to ongoing repentance of the sin of racism is a good start for all of us.
In fact the definition of racism incorporates the distribution of wealth. If whites own more corporations, more businesses, more companies hence more wealth overall then that puts us as a race in a position of power. Those who own have the power to oppress consciously or unconsciously. This context then offers me privilege not enjoyed by those not in power. That privilege and the structures that promote it are the definition of racism-one race having the ownership and power of wealth over other races.
So by virtue of being white-I am racist because of the power my race holds over other races. If you feel offended by that statement then it is an indication of the type of racism that I'm talking about that needs to change. We are often unable even to acknowledge the privilege we enjoy-even entertain the idea of that being white offers unequal access to goods, services, and power not enjoyed by others. So if we are unable even to THINK about the issue then there may be some place for us to grow and learn. God knows I need to keep learning and facing that within me that would remain silent and inactive in this struggle.
So I pray God gives us Grace to own up to our own racism and that we are able to take the insight we're given and use it to shape the future.
Grace to you and peace in this new year 2009.
Dwight
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